Egypt says air strikes kill Islamic State leader in Sinai peninsula
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 4 August 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Egypt says air strikes kill Islamic State leader in Sinai peninsula, 4 August 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/57db99b628.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
August 04, 2016
Egypt's military says it has killed the leader of the Sinai branch of the Islamic State (IS) group, identifying the militant as Abu Duaa al-Ansari.
In a statement on August 4, the Egyptian military said Ansari was among 46 militants that had been killed in a series of air strikes near Arish, the largest town on the Sinai Peninsula.
There was no immediate confirmation of the claim from the so-called Sinai Province group, Islamic State's offshoot in the peninsula that borders Israel, the Gaza Strip, and the Suez Canal.
Hundreds of Egyptian soldiers and police have been killed by Islamic militants since the middle of 2013, when then-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ousted Islamist President Muhammad Morsi.
Most of the violence has taken place in northern Sinai, where IS fighters are based.
Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
